Political commentary from the LA Times

Joe Biden update: The Democratic party is not dead, he reveals

October 5, 2010 | 2:46
pm

Having successfully spurred the nation's stubbornly-stifled economy, created millions of new jobs and extracted U.S. combat troops from Iraq, Vice President Joe Biden is taking some time off from minor Washington duties these days to stump for his party's struggling candidates around the country.

Monday was Ted Strickland, who wants to stay governor in Ohio. Today was Minnesota's turn.

Mark Dayton, the department store heir who tried out the U.S. Senate for a term but didn't really like it, is now spending some of his own millions to go for the Minnesota governor's office.

This morning Biden went before the administration's new favorite campaign audience, college students looking to get out of a class. He told the young people in St. Paul that: "Reports of the death of the Democratic Party have been greatly exaggerated."

Which is funny on two levels. One, no one has come forward to claim credit for declaring said party defunct yet, even after 20 months of failed recovery efforts. And, two, in Minnesota, Biden's party is known as the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party. For a local news video report on Biden's talk go here.

Biden also emphatically told the crowd and Americans listening beyond:

"I'm here to tell you that on November the 3rd, the Democrats will retain a majority in the House, a majority in the Senate."

Biden's bold yet predictable prediction ignited resounding cheers from Republicans. That's because if Democrat voters follow Joe's advice at the polls on Nov. 3, Republicans are sure to win. The Democrats will be an entire day late since the midterm voting is actually on Nov. 2.